Part of what makes us who we are is that we love getting the LBF Squad involved in the process of making our products. We often post behind-the-scenes photos and sketches of ideas to get feedback. Back in February, we asked for your input on the snapback cap design and we took it seriously. With the new collection on the horizon, here are some photos of the hats in production.
The hats are placed on the embroidery machine, but first a piece of foam is sealed to the surface of the cap. Once the foam is on, the stitching goes over the foam. This is what gives the final embroidery a 3-dimensional look. The remaining foam is carefully removed and discarded afterwards.
The final products. There are two versions of The Header cap: an all black (general release) and the red-brimmed caps are limited to only 20 pieces.
The Header, as well as 8 other pieces, launches in the 40 Years of Rebellion collection in a few weeks. We’re ready, are you?
A couple of months ago, we showed you sketches of the snapback caps. We took the feedback and got some samples made (above) The final caps will have be black with a red brim, but just wanna show you guys the progress.
The XXI series of shirts have been quite successful and well received by the LBF Squad all over the world. Today we bring you the ninth and tenth installments in the expansive series: Roja and Noir. Now available in limited quantities in the Shop.
Both shirts can be purchased here
In continuation of our LBF Life series – a look behind what we do here at LBF- I bring to you a series of photos taken this past weekend. Enjoy!
Watching El Clasico at Dimitri’s. Madrid leads 1-0
Barca equalizes. 1-1
Ronaldo scores to make the match 2-1. Dimitri is very sad.
After the match is over, we head out onto the street for a little kickabout.
It isn’t long before things get really intense…
Dimitri ends the day with a broken heart and broken ankles. Poor kid. We, on the other hand, had quite a blast and I must say it was a damn good day. Word to Ice Cube. It may seem like all we do is watch and play futbol. It really is for the most part. Somehow we find the time to design and sell t-shirts in between all of that.
Good day World Class members of the LBF Squad. Just wanted to announce that our highly sought after ‘World Class’ crewneck sweaters are now back in STOCK. Just like the first drop these are super limited (less than 50 pieces available) edition so I suggest you grab one while you can. Once this batch sells out we won’t be making anymore, but instead will be releasing the ‘World Class’ hoodies. En garde. Crewnecks are available here
I have written this post over 50 times in my head and each time it comes out different. Where do I begin? Do I start at the part where I called practically everyone I knew in NYC trying to get silly pink wristbands that granted Chewy, Keith and me access to the “Meet the Red Bulls” event? Or do I start at the part where we waited in the freezing cold outside the Adidas Store on Broadway waiting to meet Thierry Henry? I guess it doesn’t really matter where the story starts, but the story in and of itself is worth telling.
I present to you all….
As a Gooner living in the United States I never got the chance to visit Highbury or the Emirates stadium to watch my idol, Thierry Henry, play for Arsenal. So when my buddy in NYC informed me of the “Meet the Red Bulls” event at the Adidas store yesterday, I quickly cleared my schedule for the event. Yesterday also happened to be my best friend’s birthday, and being that he loves Arsenal as well, I planned to bring him along as a surprise. I kept the secret quite well until Emily, Keith’s girl, told me that she let it slip…You’re forgiven, Em. So at that point the pressure to pull it off was now greater. Up until 10.37 am I had no wristbands to get into the store, but I held faith like a boy on Christmas morning hoping for that shiny train set. My good friend, Dara King, who lives not too far from the store came through in the clutch like Thierry Henry’s header against Man U (see what I did there?). She text me while I was slaving over my Structures exam that she had managed to snag three wristbands for free. (Others had to spend $50 on Red Bull gear to get wristbands). I wasn’t surprised because Dara is the sort of person that can persuade you to sell your car and use the money to buy her shoes.
Keith the birthday boy
Chewy and I left Philadelphia on the trusty Chinatown bus headed for the Big Apple. Thanks to technological Android-wizardry we were able to watch the Tottenham shellacking on a bus with no Wi-fi. Thierry would’ve been proud. After arriving in the city we link up with Dara to get the wristbands and get in line around the store. It’s freezing cold, but the Red Bull folks were kind enough to offer us copious amounts of ice cold Red Bulls to keep us warm. Well played.
smiles all around. Chewy doesn't belong. He's a Manc
lovely old fella. don't think he was waiting to see TiTi
love birds.
After being in line outside for almost two hours the folks in the Red Bulls jackets and walkie talkies came out with some bad news. The folks who were unable to secure a wristband earlier in the day would not be able to get in. How unfortunate. These folks had endured the cold for two hours and you just now tell them they won’t be able to get in. Unbelievable. The lines finally moved and we inched closer to meeting the man who inspired me to wear the number 14 even though it sits somewhere at the bottom of my favorite figures.
The man. The legend.
Oh shit. That’s HIM. The one that scored 226 goals for Arsenal. Made Real Madrid look like school boys at the Bernabeu; the man who God sent to be a thorn in the side of Tottenham Hotspur. The man who went an entire Premier League season unbeaten. That man is ten feet in front of me. While we stood outside, each of us came up with awesome questions we were going to ask him. But naturally, when I got up to him, I could not even think of saying anything. I was just grateful that I was fortunate to be in his presence. Then the unthinkable happens. LBF’s resident photographer, Chewy, pulls a Yakubu at the worst moment. Henry gets up to take a photo with me and Chewy is fondling with the camera and says “no more memory.” The moment I had been waiting for; the moment I’d dreamed I would share with my children when I am old and gray would not be captured. No sweat though, because Birthday Boy got his picture AND told TiTi to sign his Arsenal jumper, “Always a Gunner” which he did. You have to respect someone like Henry. There were cameras next to him, a smug reporter who was constantly barraging him with the same old questions, and countless flashes going off in his face for hours and he smiled each time and took it all in stride. What a class act. God bless you TiTi.
Starstruck child and guy with mustache
The newest Red Bull in town; Dwayne DeRosario
Rafa Marquez ex Barca man
Marquez signs my Jabulani
The Signature. This ball shall never touch a pitch. No sir
I don’t like the Red Bulls (I’m a Union fan) but I spent $20 on RB Jabulani just to get it signed. Money well spent. We exited the store quickly and ventured onto the streets of Manhattan in search of good dinner. Remember this post?Yeah, it’s becoming a habit to find good spots to eat after football-related outings. It’s the LBF Life I guess. Emily recommended Max Brenners for Keith’s birthday dinner, and so we went.
Hilarity ensues…
my steak panini (or something)
Birthday boy being silly
Emily laughing at Keith
Me being too cool to act silly...
Just kidding....
birthday ice cream
This picture sums up the night. Epic.
I had rewritten this post 50 times in my head, most words were forgotten. More clever quips and anecdotes as well. These images give you an idea of how epic it was. Oh, after stuffing our face with Max Brenners, Chewy and I had to sprint a mile to catch the last bus back to Philadelphia. Hilarious.
Video coming later on. I have class now so I must run. Au Revoir!
A couple of weeks ago the Society of Emerging African Leaders (SEAL) at my school asked me to be a speaker at their African Youth Leadership conference. I said absolutely. A few days before the event, I found out from Farhiya, SEAL president, that they had gotten the event approved by TED. All of a sudden this became an even bigger deal for me because I almost always have the TED site opened on a tab in my browser. I began preparing my presentation, but really wasn’t sure where to take it. I heard about some of the other speakers at the event and these were people who were doing amazing things. One guy, Mohamed Niang, co-founded Malo Traders with his brother, a good friend of mine was speaking about her non-profit organization, Real Humanitarians, and every other speaker, save for Professor Daud Watts, was in their early 20s. Topics ranged from government reform in Africa to rice preservation and the size of Africa to the genocide in Rwanda. Then I go up there and absolutely crash the party by giving a presentation titled “Football, Shirts and a powerful idea” while wearing my Navy XXI tee.
I am pretty comfortable speaking in public, as a matter of fact, I love doing so, but this time I was a bit nervous. I had rehearsed my “speech” countless times without problem, but when I went up there it was a different story. Why? I think it was because this was the first time that I’d told the LBF story, my story, from start to where it stands now and sort of hearing myself tell it and seeing people respond to it positively was moving. I wasn’t close to tears, though. Takes a bit more to make me cry. I’d like to thank SEAL, TED, and all the other speakers who came out, I am truly motivated to carry on and wish everyone else who participated in the event success in what they are doing. We just might change everything. As usual, here are some pictures. Enjoy.
Fake posing at the podium
Seyi Adeoye, co-founder of SEAL and I.
L to R: Odera, Speaker Elizabeth Householder and SEAL President, Farhiya Tifow
Another speaker, Abiola Adeola (brilliant, eloquent speaker by the way) and I.
Kojo Price, SEAL eboard member and fellow creative mastermind
some of the lovely ladies on the SEAL eboard
Nana, cool guy and Kojo
some of my beautiful friends also came out to support.
Tayo of RH chatting with new volunteers
What seems to be everybody
Some major things were discussed with these gentlemen. I'll keep my mouth shut though. Big things.
Thanks for reading, whenever the video to the TEDxTempleU is released I’ll be sure to hook you all up with a link to it. I’m sure you guys will get a kick out of me stumbling over my words! And making a few folks laugh as well. Thanks for reading and Follow the Twitter, Like the Facebook, and Tumble with Me
As a Gooner living in the United States I never got the chance to visit Highbury or the Emirates stadium to watch my idol, Thierry Henry, play for Arsenal. So when my buddy in NYC informed me of the “Meet the Red Bulls” event at the Adidas store yesterday, I quickly cleared my schedule for the event. Yesterday also happened to be my best friend’s birthday, and being that he loves Arsenal as well, I planned to bring him along as a surprise. I kept the secret quite well until Emily, Keith’s girl, told me that she let it slip…You’re forgiven, Em. So at that point the pressure to pull it off was now greater. Up until 10.37 am I had no wristbands to get into the store, but I held faith like a boy on Christmas morning hoping for that shiny train set. My good friend, 
